The EveryOne Group informs us of the case of Iranian actress and lesbian rights activist Kiana Firouz, who fled to Britain and applied for asylum based on well-founded fears that she would be executed for her participation in lesbian acts.
The F-Word Blog and EveryOne Group links above give you all you need to get active about this regarding contacting the UK Government about it, and I do think anyone reading this blog ought to do so (after all, international pressure can sometimes help).
One more thing: apparently the Minister of State (Borders and Immigration) is one Damian Green, who has a somewhat chequered past, it seems.
Anyway, here's the letter that I've sent him. A person in another campaign group tells members of that group that mailed letters are the most effective form of communication in terms of getting a minister's attention (as they tend to ignore form letters, emails and petitions), and because there is someone's life at stake here, I have put the cost of a stamp and envelope at a lower value than that!
Dear Sir,
Immigration Status of Kiana Firouz
Human rights campaigners "EveryOne Group" have brought to the attention of the world the plight of Iranian actress Kiana Firouz, who has recently been refused asylum status in the UK. I am writing to add my voice to the protests against this decision and ask that her status be re-evaluated and she be allowed to remain in the UK as a refugee from persecution.
Kiana Firouz is a lesbian, from a country where lesbianism is punishable initially by 100 lashes of the whip, but if repeat offences are discovered, could face the death penalty. Kiana Firouz, through the evidence in her political campaign films, is very likely to be executed if she is returned to Iran. It is a fact of European law that we do not extradite anyone to a country where they may face the death penalty, but by deporting Kiana Firouz that would be exactly what we would be doing. If the values that have made Britain great are to mean anything and we are to have the moral authority to criticise other countries for barbaric behaviour, then we must surely allow people like Kiana to shelter in our country from barbaric treatment that they can expect in their own. If we do not, her blood is on Britain's hands as surely as on Iran's when they execute her.
Whether you are accepting of homosexuality or opposed to it, it has been a very long time since anyone faced the death penalty in Britain because of their sexuality, and I do not believe you or anyone in government truly believes that gays and lesbians deserve to die. The Iranian government does, and for that reason, homosexuals from that country should be granted asylum.
I close by asking you once again to do all that you can to ensure that Kiana Firouz is granted asylum in the UK to protect her from almost certain death at the hands of her own government.
Yours Faithfully,
Go now, and do likewise. (But come up with your own wording - as I said, my understanding is that form letters don't do as well as individually crafted ones.)
0 things wot people said:
Post a Comment
Comments Moderation Policy
This blog is intended to be a place where I can develop my thoughts freely and get free and honest responses. Essentially, it is my safe space, and for that reason I have elected to maintain this blog as a moderated space. However, I am opposed in general to censorship and believe that usually the best way to kill a bad idea is with a better one, so very few comments will be rejected. Comments designed to cause offence for the sake of it (e.g. abusive or inflammatory remarks with no other content), or else those that I feel cross a boundary of human decency, are most likely to be rejected.